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This blog is a compilation of all me and my husband's favorite recipes. Most are simple and easy to make. Please leave feedback if clarification is needed, if you like adding something else to the recipe, how you do it differently, etc. I would LOVE feedback! And mostly, I just hope you can enjoy eating some yummy food!!

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Friday, September 7, 2012

Spinach Artichoke Dip from the Olive Garden

Look no further for the perfect spinach artichoke dip recipe because this is THE ONE!!!  Straight from the Olive Garden's website.  They have other recipes on their site too.  Me and my husband were completely blown away that we could produce something so insanely good!  This dip is unparalleled!  I highly recommend making your own warm, moist, FRESH bread.  I made my french baguettes recipe, which is way better than anything you buy in the store.  Beware though, this is not the quantity of dip that you'd get at a restaurant.  It makes a lot of dip.  Like a 9x13 pan.  I think it would also work well in a round pie dish, it would just be thicker, but I haven't tried it yet.  AND don't leave anything out!!  Every ingredient has it's place.

Ingredients
2 artichoke hearts
1 lb cream cheese, room temperature
8 oz mascarpone cheese, room temperature
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour, sifted
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (grate your own cheese; it tastes better and melts better)
1/4 tsp fresh thyme leaves (I used dried thyme)
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 Tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
5 green onions, chopped
Salt to taste
Ground black pepper to taste
1 6-oz pack fresh spinach, chopped

Notes / Directions
Preheat oven to 325ºF.


Preparation for fresh artichokes:
Steam for 45 minutes with some lemon water.  Cool the artichokes.  Clean, peel, remove center "choke" and chop up into pieces.

Dip preparation:
Mix all ingredients together except the artichokes.  I did this in my kitchenaid.  Once everything is mixed well, fold in artichoke hearts.  Coat a large pan with pan spray; fill pan with mixture.  Bake for about 25 minutes or until bubbling and center is hot.  Garnish with parmesan cheese.

Bread preparation:
Cut bread into thin slices.  Lightly coat each side with olive oil (I skipped this part) and place on a cookie sheet.  Lightly broil each side so they are nice and crispy.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Kiwi Strawberry Smoothie

I was so surprised when I took a sip of this.  I seriously thought it came straight from Jamba Juice!

Ingredients
1 banana
6 strawberries
1 kiwi
1/2 cup vanilla frozen yogurt
3/4 cup orange juice
6 ice cubes

Notes / Directions
Place the banana, strawberries, kiwi, vanilla frozen yogurt, orange juice, and ice cubes in a blender. Blend until smooth.


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